Compliance for competition prize draws in Australia

There are specific regulations around the random draw system that you are allowed to use to pick winners for your competition, promotion or give away. All Australian states/territories have their own rules and you need to be careful that you adhere to their individual requirements.

NSW and SA require the methodology for picking winners to be independently assessed and to follow strict security protocols. SA issue a certificate of compliance for any electronic random draw system that has been approved by them. Look for the registered approval number of the system you intend to use.

All of this means that you can't legally use any "random" prize picker that you find online. It also means that you may not be compliant if you use a spreadsheet to pick the winners.

Some promoters print out the entries and perform a so called "barrel" draw. This is generally allowed, but is in most cases cumbersome and makes it difficult to keep records of the draw (some states require records to be kept for 2 or 3 years). It is also a potential perception issue. Your entrants are likely to feel more confident about the objectivity of the draw knowing that it was performed electronically.

Note that even if you have a valid competition permit, you will still need to be aware of these rules, as they specifically apply to how you pick the winner(s).

randomdraws.com.au™ is government certified and meets the legislative requirements across all Australian states and territories. You will receive a certificate of compliance with each draw with all draw and approval details.